$299!That’s the price in the ad. “Now only $299” with a $399 “pre-savings” crossed out.
For a desktop computer, complete with FREE Dell Color Printer. Yes, that computer company.
Pretty tempting deal, right?
Well, don’t be led into this temptation too quickly.
Because like a lot of technology ads, this one doesn’t tell the whole story. In fact, it only tells about half the story. For when you call Dell for the deal, you’ll quickly learn that the price is really …
$399!! That’s when you add the required $100 shipping charge. Hmm. I know sending a desktop computer, a monitor and a printer isn’t cheap, but that sounds a little high to me, a little much for a company that ships millions of computers. If they can’t get a deal on shipping volume, who can?
I suspect that Dell has decided to make a few bucks on the shipping charges. They wouldn’t be the first to try that scheme, hoping you’ll just swallow shipping charges as something “out of their control,” but that doesn’t make it right.
And because the “$299” price is prominent, but shipping only mentioned in the tiny type at the bottom of the ad page (and the dollar amount not whispered even there), most of us will end up favorably, and mistakenly, comparing the$299 to local computer stores prices where shipping isn’t necessary.
$499!!! Now wait a minute. Did that price climb again? Sure did. The Dell rep on the phone says you’ll need a $100 service and support policy. That wasn’t included? Apparently not. Another way to cut the printed ad price without really cutting the price of the computer. Because who’s going to buy a computer without any protection? Here the lowball ad price comes up against the service you could get from a local computer shop, where if you have a problem you can just bring your computer in for service at the counter.
$599!!!! (OK, enough with the exclamation marks.) This is getting to be like one of those infomercials with the “But wait, there’s more!” claims. Only here, the “more” is bucks you’re spending, not gadgets or knives or whatever you’re getting. So what’s the $599? Mr. Dell asks for another $100 for a “security” package you’ve just gotta have, unless you like taking crazy chances, unprotected on the Internet. Now who’s going to argue with that?
Well, I will, but only because I’ve been doing this for a long time. You see, I know that anyone can get the anti-virus, anti-spam, firewall, anti-spyware tools for security entirely for free. Great stuff, too, as good or better than the $100 pile pushed by computer makers. So that $100 pump-up is a rip-off. A computer maker with real integrity would tell you about those free tools or simply equip your computer with them instead of trying to scare you, instead of taking advantage of busy, worried people who aren’t computer experts.
$709??? Yep, there’s still more. The ad shows a sleek flat-panel monitor beside the computer. But in more of that tiny type beside the screen it says “Shown with 15-inch Flat Panel Display – add for only $110”. The display you get in the original $299/$399/$499/$599 package is an old-fashioned, 17-inch picture-tube type. When you look at computers at the local computer megastore, chances are the display next to the computer you’re contemplating will be the same one you get for the listed price. (At least there is a monitor included in this Dell package. Used to be standard operating procedure for computer ads to show a display but not actually include any display at all in the price.)
So we end up with more than double the original temptation price. And there will be pressure to spend more. 512 megabytes of RAM and a DVD burner (not just recording to CDs, but also to DVDs) for $70 more? You probably don’t need the DVD burner, but the RAM is pretty important, so $800 here we come.
It’s a shame that big companies play these sneaky tricks. When you’re computer shopping, skip the security software, be skeptical of the extended warranties and include shipping in your calculations. And always ask if you can get upgrades, shipping or other extras for free.
—
(Phillip Robinson is founder of the NetForAmerica Internet service. He can be reached at philliprobinsonnetforamerica.com.)
—
(c)2005, Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
AP-NY-11-09-05 0624EST
Comments are no longer available on this story